Renegade announces new editions of Transformers, GI Joe, and Power Rangers RPGs, using D&D 5.5E instead of Essence20

Renegade is ending support for its Essence20 game system, in favor of Dungeons & Dragons 5.5E. Today, Renegade announced it was planning on publishing new editions of its Transformers, GI Joe, and Power Rangers RPG systems. However, the new editions will not use the bespoke Essence20 game system created by Renegade. Instead, the new editions will use a modified version of Dungeons & Dragons 5.5E. Renegade will also release Essence20 to 5.5E conversion guides for free on their website at a later date. Update: Renegade said on their Discord that they were ending support for E20 releases because sales were insufficient to continue with the system.

Renegade will release a BackerKit crowdfunding campaign for the new games, with Transformers and GI Joe running first and a Power Rangers BackerKit coming at a later time.

The Essence20 line seems to have been popular for Renegade, as they've been publishing content for all three licensed properties (as well as My Little Pony) since 2022. All three properties are licensed by Hasbro, which of course also owns Wizards of the Coast, the maker of Dungeons & Dragons. One could speculate that Hasbro could have pushed for a change to their big games system, but one could also argue that Renegade is looking to expand their playerbase by switching from a bespoke game system to a system with a massive existing playerbase.

 

[mamba]

The Essence20 line seems to have been popular for Renegade, as they've been publishing content for all three licensed properties (as well as My Little Pony) since 2022. All three properties are licensed by Hasbro, which of course also owns Wizards of the Coast, the maker of Dungeons & Dragons. One could speculate that Hasbro could have pushed for a change to their big games system, but one could also argue that Renegade is looking to expand their playerbase by switching from a bespoke game system to a system with a massive existing playerbase.

I know nothing about Essence20, not interested in these properties, but 5e was already popular in 2022, or even 2020 if you give them some time to develop their own system.

So while they may be switching due to popularity now, the question then becomes why they created their own system back in 2020/21 instead of using 5e back then already.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Better late than never I guess. I'll pick them up. Probably sale better.

 

[saviirkad]

Essence20 already is a modified 5e, so this just sounds like they're keeping it up to date and dropping the unique naming in the process?

 

[Prof_Dogg]

It's all the same system though... That's what I don't understand... It's all d20, hit target number to succeed... Essence is no different than 5e, 5.5e, 4e, 3e, PF1, or PF2... It's all the d20 OGL system with some minor variants in regards to tracking the equivalent of hit points...

 

[mearls]

They probably want to get these on D&D Beyond. Moving to 5.5 makes that possible.

 

[Leatherhead]

As someone who does actually enjoy the Essence 20 system, I am going to be sad to see it go.

The math was different enough, imo, to give it a different feel than 5e.

Mostly because it's a game where you are going to miss most of the time, unless you use outside of the box methods of attacking or copious amounts of teamwork. Combined with the super flat hp totals (we are talking most characters won't even get to 10 hp), the game was way more rocket tag, than anything resembling the battle of attrition that is most current D&D-likes.

That and the focus on primarily ranged combat, it's amazing what everyone being good at guns does for a game.

They probably want to get these on D&D Beyond. Moving to 5.5 makes that possible.

I do recall that the Sigil 3D VTT on D&D Beyond snuck in Optimus Prime, which means this plan was likely in the wings from early 2024.

 

[Parmandur]

Renegade will release a BackerKit crowdfunding campaign for the new games, with Transformers and GI Joe running first and a Power Rangers BackerKit coming at a later time.

...

OK, guess they want a couple more cracks at top TTRPG crowdfunder after coming close with Dungeon Crawler Carl.

 

[sevenbastard]

The books were really pretty and the system seemed fine.

 

[darjr]

They probably want to get these on D&D Beyond. Moving to 5.5 makes that possible.

Oh! That’s a good bet.